As the car sales business pretty much came to an emergency stop with the lockdown, at first there was widespread panic and fear through the business world.
Then, to their credit, many car manufacturers rose to the challenge of these unprecedented times and have added their financial and production help to South Africa’s strategy to contain and then weather the storm of Covid-19 and its wide ranging effect on all of us.
Here’s a roundup of who has been doing what:
Toyota stepped up by donating more than 65 000 litres of essential sanitiser and 2 000 face masks to the taxi industry, which meant a spend of about R10 million.
Toyota SA’s Leon Theron says: “At Toyota we believe that we need to intensify our fight against Covid-19 as we now have more commuters using public transport - compared to lockdown Level 5 when we only had essential service personnel operating.”
KIA Motors, a subsidiary of Motus Corporation, pitched in by donating three Kia K2700 commercial vehicles and three Picanto Starts to the South African National Zakah Fund, to help deliver food and welfare services to vulnerable communities. Beekma canopies chipped in for the bakkie canopies.
Gary Scott, CEO of Kia Motors SA, noted that Sanzaf has through its passion collected and handed out alms to needy families for 45 years and says: “We are honoured to donate vehicles that will make this task easier.”
Sanzaf invested R27 million in education in the previous financial year and has assisted 28 000 people through their welfare support services.
SPIRIT: KIA donated vehicles to help Sanzaf deliver essentials
Jaguar Land Rover has also focused on the basics needed, starting its #FeedingSATogether campaign in early April, collecting donations from companies and providing nutritious meals to children and the elderly.
The project, which was arranged in partnership with Jaguar Ambassador and well-known celebrity Minnie Dlamini, called for donations of any amount in order to secure food parcels to be distributed to those in need by the South African Red Cross Society.
Of course, as most of us saw dramatic reductions in income, some financiers have come to the party by offering payment breaks for three months. Since 1 April, FnB and Wesbank have given people a break on half a million credit agreements, to help customers who found themselves seriously out of pocket. Good for them.
FOCUS: Jaguar Land Rover’s #FeedingSATogether campaign
Volvo has taken this initiative even further, offering customers who have bought the XC40, XC60, XC90, S90 and V90CC an immediate cash relief programme. Greg Maruszewski, managing director, says customers can opt for up to five months of payment relief or cash in their pockets.
“Practically, this means that the customers will receive the exact sum of money that they have spent on instalments. This will be paid directly into their bank accounts,” he explains.
OPT: Various Volvo car owners were offered payment relief
Volkswagen has stepped up in a super practical way by making its Port Elizabeth factory available as a temporary medical facility, to cope with the expected influx of Coronavirus patients in the months to come. The plant, currently not in use, could accommodate up to 4 000 beds. This would also include high-acuity patients who require oxygenation.
Mercedes-Benz, another imminently practical company, has repurposed manufacturing gear to provide 3D printed recyclable plastic face shields to be used in mass screening efforts, clinics and hospitals.
The manufacturer is also making breathing devices which send oxygen to the lungs without the need for a ventilator.
Bobby Nitro salutes all those contributing to the country’s efforts, those mentioned here as well as those not mentioned, for more and more companies and people are stepping up every day to meet this challenge that without doubt affects us all.